Hoxton charity unveils three alternative audio tours of London penned by children

The team at the Ministry of Stories helps young people discover their confidence through writing. Photograph: Jonathan Perugia

A local charity has premiered three alternative audio tours of London written by Hackney children.

London Can’t Make Up Its Mind, a project by Hoxton-based Ministry of Stories, saw youngsters come up with listening adventures that were recorded by professional voice actors.

One imagines London as ‘Monster Town’, giving the audience a rare glimpse into the city’s distorted reflection through Frankenstein’s radio station.

The Completely Accurate and Totally True London Tour regales listeners with completely verifiable facts about the capital, like the Shard previously being built using sausages and the London Eye moonlighting as an interdimensional portal. No refunds, apparently.

And the titular London Can’t Make Up Its Mind adventure is a poetic path through the city’s streets and skies. Tour-takers can wander through the sights and sounds of London while listening to the young writer’s hopes for the future.

These are just three of many ideas from the minds of children aged between six and 15 who took part in the project earlier this year.

A volunteer helps a young girl with literacy. Photograph: Ministry of Stories

Over the course of a term at Ministry of Stories, the young people delved into London’s history to research fun titbits for their scripts.

Every member of the charity’s Community Writing Labs played an important part in drafting the words, which were then turned into audio pieces by producer Matt Hill at Rethink Audio.

Ministry of Stories director Rob Smith said: “It’s been an inspiration to hear our young writers reimagining London – from the wildest tall stories to the most moving of poetry.

“London Can’t Make Up Its Mind is a wonderful testament to the talent and creativity of Hackney’s young people and the city that they call home.”

Ministry of Stories was co-founded by author Nick Hornby in 2010 in a bid help young people discover their confidence, imagination and potential through the power of their writing.

The charity aims to develop self-respect and communication skills through writing programmes and mentoring for children living in under-resourced communities.

It works in schools and from its dedicated writing centre in East London.

The children’s London tours can be enjoyed on Spotify and Apple Music, as well as on the Ministry of Stories website.

For more information, visit ministryofstories.org.